YXZ WHEEL & TIRE KIT FROM YAMAHA ACCESSORIES

This is one of several tire and wheel sets Yamaha has tested extensively for the YXZ1000R models. The EFX MotoHammer is an 8-ply-rated tire for hard and intermediate terrain that’s also DOT approved for road use. We tested the kit on a 2019 YXZ1000R SS SE to see how it performs. The kit retails for $1,781.99, which is competitive with other aftermarket sources for the same tires and wheels. Since the tires come mounted to the wheels with the kit, you save the mounting cost.

EFX MotoHammer tires are designed for hard terrain, rocks and sand, so we tested them at Johnson Valley, home to the King of the Hammers race, where there are trails with plenty of each and sometimes all of the above. This tire provides great grip on hard-packed dirt and rocky terrain, and surprisingly good traction in deep sand considering its relatively closely grouped tread. The kit’s 30-inch tires add about a half-inch of extra ground clearance to 2019 YXZs, which come with 29-inch tires. We found places at Johnson Valley where the extra ground clearance was welcome, and the lower gearing on the 2019 YXZ had no trouble turning the larger tires. The larger tires make the YXZ ride smoother in whoops and rugged terrain, too. Previous YXZs came with 27-inch tires, so they’ll gain even more ground clearance and ride smoother with the kit, but Yamaha’s lower GYTR Torque Assist Gearing (TAG) kit would help, especially in slow, difficult terrain. The EFX tire’s 8-ply-rated construction proved tough enough for Johnson Valley’s brutal, rocky terrain. There were no flats on several machines running the same kit at Johnson Valley.

The Yamaha kit’s rugged, stylish KMC XD Series Machete beadlock wheels gave us the option to air the tires down with secure bead retention or drive with a flat without debeading a tire, a feature we fortunately didn’t test. The wheels took a pounding during our testing and showed no sign of the abuse.